When does the Kedarnath temple open each year?

The opening and closing dates are set annually by the temple authorities, typically within a late April/May to October/November window, and vary year to year. We confirm the current year's dates before finalising your trip. (confirmed on enquiry)

Can I skip the Kedarnath trek and still visit?

A helicopter option exists from Phata or Guptkashi, subject to seat availability and weather, or a pony/palanquin can carry you most of the way. We can enquire on availability but cannot guarantee it.

Is this itinerary suitable for children or older travellers?

The Kedarnath leg is physically demanding. Families or older travellers who want to skip the trek should ask about the helicopter option or consider our Mathura–Vrindavan–Haridwar–Rishikesh route without Kedarnath.

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Tour package8 Days Mathura Vrindavan Kedarnath Haridwar Rishikesh Tour

8 Days Mathura Vrindavan Kedarnath Haridwar Rishikesh Tour

This eight-day tour pairs the Krishna pilgrimage circuit at Mathura and Vrindavan with Kedarnath's Himalayan shrine, Haridwar's Ganga Aarti at Har Ki Pauri and a finish in Rishikesh. Kedarnath involves a genuine trek and is only accessible for part of the year, so dates depend on the shrine's seasonal opening.

Private guide and vehicle
Reply within four hours, 9am–9pm IST
No payment to start planning

Duration: 8 days / 7 nights
Price: Quoted per person
Route: Arrive Mathura/Vrindavan → Departure

Reviewed by Experience My India Editorial Team · Updated 1 Sept 2026

Route

1Arrive Mathura/Vrindavan
2Vrindavan, drive towards Haridwar
3Haridwar — Har Ki Pauri
4Haridwar to Guptkashi/Sitapur
5Trek to Kedarnath
6Kedarnath darshan, trek down
7Guptkashi to Rishikesh
8Departure

Fit pilgrims prepared for a genuine high-altitude trek.
Not suitable without mobility assistance (pony, palanquin or helicopter) for anyone unable to walk 16–18km.
Travel dates depend on Kedarnath's annual opening window — confirm before booking.
Kedarnath involves a genuine trek and is only accessible for part of the year, so dates depend on the shrine's seasonal opening.

Braj, then the Himalayan shrine of Kedarnath

This itinerary links two very different pilgrimage experiences: the plains circuit of Mathura and Vrindavan, and the high-altitude trek to Kedarnath, before closing at Haridwar and Rishikesh on the Ganges. Kedarnath sits at altitude and is reachable only via a roughly 16–18km walk (or helicopter, subject to availability) from Gaurikund, and only during the shrine's seasonal opening window, typically around April/May to October/November. (confirmed on enquiry)

1
Day 1
Arrive Mathura/VrindavanDarshan at Krishna Janmabhoomi, Mathura. · +1 more
- Darshan at Krishna Janmabhoomi, Mathura.
- Evening aarti on the Yamuna ghats, Vrindavan.
Meals: None · Stay: Vrindavan
2
Day 2
Vrindavan, drive towards HaridwarBanke Bihari and ISKCON temples. · +1 more
- Banke Bihari and ISKCON temples.
- Long drive towards Haridwar, about 8–9 hours (or split over two days).
Meals: Breakfast · Stay: Haridwar
3
Day 3
Haridwar — Har Ki PauriEvening Ganga Aarti at Har Ki Pauri.
- Evening Ganga Aarti at Har Ki Pauri.
Meals: Breakfast · Stay: Haridwar
4
Day 4
Haridwar to Guptkashi/SitapurLong drive towards Kedarnath's base, about 8–9 hours.
- Long drive towards Kedarnath's base, about 8–9 hours.
Meals: Breakfast · Stay: Guptkashi/Sitapur
5
Day 5
Trek to KedarnathDrive to Gaurikund, then trek (or pony/helicopter, subject to availability) to Kedarnath, about 16–18km.
- Drive to Gaurikund, then trek (or pony/helicopter, subject to availability) to Kedarnath, about 16–18km.
Meals: Breakfast · Stay: Kedarnath
6
Day 6
Kedarnath darshan, trek downMorning darshan; trek back down to Gaurikund and drive to Guptkashi.
- Morning darshan; trek back down to Gaurikund and drive to Guptkashi.
Meals: Breakfast · Stay: Guptkashi
7
Day 7
Guptkashi to RishikeshDrive to Rishikesh, about 7–8 hours. · +1 more
- Drive to Rishikesh, about 7–8 hours.
- Evening Ganga Aarti at Parmarth Niketan.
Meals: Breakfast · Stay: Rishikesh
8
Day 8
DepartureTransfer to Dehradun (Jolly Grant) airport, about 45 minutes.
- Transfer to Dehradun (Jolly Grant) airport, about 45 minutes.
Meals: Breakfast · Stay: Departure day

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Meenakshi Iyer
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu · Group · Verified trip
3/56 days ago
The guide and driver were genuinely lovely and the sites speak for themselves. But we lost nearly an hour to a monument closure that the office should have known about, and the replacement stop felt like padding. Decent, not exceptional.
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Ashwini Desai
Goa · Family · Verified trip
4/52 weeks ago
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Jodhpur, Rajasthan · Family · Verified trip
5/53 weeks ago
The food stops were the surprise star. Our guide took us to a family-run place for thali that we would never have found alone, and explained every dish. Not a single upset stomach in six days.
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Mysuru, Karnataka · Solo · Verified trip
5/51 month ago
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8 Days Mathura Vrindavan Kedarnath Haridwar Rishikesh Tour

Private guide and vehicle
Reply within four hours, 9am–9pm IST
No payment to start planning

Fit pilgrims prepared for a genuine high-altitude trek.
Not suitable without mobility assistance (pony, palanquin or helicopter) for anyone unable to walk 16–18km.
Travel dates depend on Kedarnath's annual opening window — confirm before booking.
Kedarnath involves a genuine trek and is only accessible for part of the year, so dates depend on the shrine's seasonal opening.